Axial piston motor and method for operation of an axial piston motor

ABSTRACT

To provide an axial piston motor, comprising at least one main burner, which has at least one main combustion space and at least one main nozzle space, and comprising at least one pre-burner, which has at least one pre-combustion space and at least one pre-nozzle space, wherein the pre-combustion space is connected to the main nozzle space by way of at least one hot gas feed, that has improved operating and control characteristics even under non-steady-state operating conditions, the pre-nozzle space of the pre-burner has at least one auxiliary hot gas feed.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and Applicant claims priorityunder 35 U.S.C. §120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/979,895 filed onJul. 16, 2013, which application is a national stage application under35 U.S.C. §371 of PCT Application No. PCT/DE2012/000039 filed on Jan.18, 2012, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from German PatentApplication No. 10 2011 018 846.0 filed on Apr. 27, 2011 and GermanPatent Application No. 10 2011 008 957.8 filed on Jan. 19, 2011, thedisclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.Certified copies of priority German Patent Application No. 10 2011 018846.0 and German Patent Application No. 10 2011 008 957.8 are containedin parent U.S. application Ser. No. 13/979,895. The InternationalApplication under PCT article 21(2) was not published in English.

The invention relates to an axial piston motor and to a method foroperation of an axial piston motor.

Axial piston motors are sufficiently known from the state of the art,and are characterized as energy-converting machines with internalcontinuous combustion. In this connection, a compressor stage of theaxial piston motor, having pistons that are disposed axially to a driveshaft and oscillate, conveys compressed air to an expander stage, alsohaving pistons that are disposed axially to a drive shaft and oscillate.Mechanical drive energy is then made available at the power take-offshaft of the axial piston motor, while fuel is fed to the compressed airbetween the compressor stage and the expander stage, the fuel/airmixture is combusted, and positive piston work is made available bymeans of the exhaust gas that results from this, with a volume increasewithin the expander stage.

Thus, for example, the document PCT/DE 2010/000874, which has not yetbeen published, shows a power machine that functions according to thisprinciple of action. In this connection, heat release of the fuel doesnot take place within a cylinder, by means of combustion of a closedload, as it does in power machines that work intermittently, but ratherwithin a burner that works continuously. These burners, which are usedfor axial piston motors, have a mixing tube connected with a combustionspace, in which tube the fuel to be burned and the air conveyed by thecompressor stage are mixed and combusted, forming a stationary flame atthe end of the mixing tube. For stabilization of combustion, an axialpiston motor according to the state of the art additionally has apre-burner, by means of which a hot gas that is inert, to a greatextent, is added to the fuel before entry into the mixing tube. This inturn brings about treatment of the fuel.

While treatment of the fuel within the burner, also by way of heatingmeans, such as glow plugs, for example, is known in the state of theart, mixing in hot gas that is inert, to a great extent, such as alreadycombusted air or a gas with λ≦0, has proven itself in practice. In thisregard, in order to produce a hot gas that is inert, to a great extent,a further pre-burner is switched ahead of the burner of an axial pistonmotor, which pre-burner in turn continuously combusts a fuel with freshair and feeds the resulting hot gas to the actual burner used as themain burner. In this connection, the document PCT/DE 2010/000874, whichhas not yet been published, discloses that it is advantageous to prepareeven the fuel that is fed to the pre-burner, beforehand, for example bymeans of glow plugs.

In the case of greater demands on regulatability, and, in particular, inthe case of pulsating operating conditions within the overallarrangement of main burner(s) and pre-burner(s), whereby pulsationsoccur due to the load change in the expander stage, despite continuouscombustion, this arrangement with a pre-burner and a main burneraccording to the state of the art mentioned above has disadvantages interms of flame stability. In the case of pulsating operation or othernon-steady-state operating conditions of the burner or of the axialpiston motor, or also in the case of operating point jumps, states canoccur in the pre-burner or in the main burner that can actually lead tothe flame being extinguished, in each instance.

It is therefore the task of the present invention to make available anaxial piston motor having an improved operating and regulating behavior,even under non-steady-state operating conditions.

This task is accomplished by an axial piston motor having at least onemain burner that has at least one main combustion space as well as atleast one main nozzle space, and having at least one pre-burner that hasat least one pre-combustion space as well as at least one pre-nozzlespace, whereby the pre-combustion space is connected with the mainnozzle space by way of at least one hot gas feed, and the axial pistonmotor is characterized in that the pre-nozzle space of the pre-burnerhas at least one auxiliary hot gas feed.

In this regard, the auxiliary hot gas feed makes it possible to treatthe fuel stream that is fed to a pre-mixing tube, within the pre-nozzlespace, so that a significantly more stable flame is produced at theoutlet from the pre-mixing tube and thus the pre-burner can be operatedwith low emissions, due to the treatment of the fuel, on the one hand,and on the other hand, the pre-burner is significantly insensitive topulsations in the pre-combustion space and to changed operatingconditions.

Furthermore, a method for operation of an axial piston motor having atleast one main burner and at least one pre-burner is proposed, wherebyan exhaust gas stream of the pre-burner is mixed into a main fuel streamof the main burner, and the method is characterized in that an exhaustgas stream is mixed into a pre-fuel stream of the pre-burner. Here, too,more stable flame formation and significantly better emissions behavioris achieved, in advantageous manner, as explained above.

A further method for operation of an axial piston motor having at leastone compressor stage, having at least one main burner and having atleast one pre-burner is proposed, for the formation of a stable flame inthe main burner and also in the pre-burner of an axial piston motor andfor better emissions behavior of an axial piston motor, alternatively orcumulatively to the preceding embodiments and methods for operation ofan axial piston motor, whereby the compressor stage feeds a main airstream to the main burner and a pre-air stream to the pre-burner, andwhereby an exhaust gas stream from the pre-burner is mixed into a mainfuel stream of the main burner, and the method is characterized in thatthe exhaust gas stream mixed into the main fuel stream is formed fromthe pre-air stream and a pre-fuel stream.

Furthermore, alternatively or cumulatively, a method for operation of anaxial piston motor having at least one compressor stage, having at leastone main burner and having at least one pre-burner is proposed, wherebythe compressor stage feeds a main air stream to the main burner and apre-air stream to the pre-burner, whereby an exhaust gas stream from thepre-burner is fed into a main fuel stream of the main burner, andwhereby the method is characterized in that a combustion air ratiobetween a pre-fuel stream and the pre-air stream and a combustion airratio between the main fuel stream and the main air stream can beadjusted in one stage. It is advantageous, in such method management,that on the one hand, only one combustion space for the main burner andfor the pre-burner that is optimized in terms of flow technology isrequired, and on the other hand, the method management with single-stagecombustion ensures that no exhaust gas with incompletely combustededucts or an exhaust gas with an undesirably high proportion of residualoxygen is fed to the mixing zone of the main nozzle chamber. Preferably,an exhaust gas without residual oxygen is fed to the main nozzle spaceor to the main fuel stream.

“Single-stage” means, in this connection, that the entire air used foradjusting the stoichiometric ratio, in each instance, is mixed into thefuel stream, in each instance, in a single mixing process. Consequently,neither multi-stage combustion with discontinuous mixing processes thatfollow one another in time nor a process of the resulting exhaust gasbecoming leaner due to further mixing in of air takes place.

In this connection, it should be emphasized that in the present case,hot gas that is inert or inert to a great extent is not necessarilyunderstood to mean an inert gas such as helium, but also the term covershot gases that do not directly participate in combustion, but mightparticipate in subsequent reactions. Thus, in particular, combustionexhaust gases can be understood to be inert hot gases in this sense,even if these still continue to react during reactions that followcombustion.

Also, alternatively or cumulatively to the methods for a solution forthe task stated initially as explained above, a method for operation ofan axial piston motor having at least one compressor stage, having atleast one main burner and having at least one pre-burner is proposed,whereby the compressor stage feeds a main air stream to the main burnerand a pre-air stream to the pre-burner, whereby an exhaust gas streamfrom the pre-burner is mixed into a main fuel stream of the main burner,and whereby the method is characterized in that the main fuel stream andthe main air stream are mixed upstream from a main combustion space.This has the result that the fuel contained in the main fuel stream andthe air oxygen of the main air stream are homogeneously distributed inthe resulting mixture while passing through a mixing segment, andparticularly low-emission and, at the same time, efficient combustioncan be initiated in a combustion zone that follows directly or in thecombustion chamber that follows directly.

As is immediately evident, pre-reactions can also occur homogeneouslydistributed in the mixture, in a method management with a mixingsegment, and thereby the subsequent combustion does not have any hightemperature gradients and therefore no significant concentration zonesfor increased formation of emissions. It is understood that “temperaturegradients” in the sense of the method for mixing of the main fuel streamwith the main air stream explained above means those temperaturevariations that form perpendicular to the flow direction, in other wordsalong the flame front. Ultimately, a uniformly configured flame front isthe advantageous result of homogeneous mixing in the mixing segment.

Further advantageous method management occurs if the main fuel streamand the main air stream are mixed in a main mixing tube. The use of amain mixing tube for the method explained above advantageously promotesthe geometric definition of the mixing segment that forms. Thus, aconcrete influence can be taken on mixing of the mail fuel stream andthe main air stream, in that the mixing segment is predetermined bywalls of the main mixing tube.

It is particularly advantageous for the method for mixing of the mainfuel stream and the main air stream if the exhaust gas stream of thepre-burner is mixed into the main fuel stream before mixing of the mainfuel stream with the main air stream. It is immediately evident that ina flow with multiple gaseous components, step-by-step pre-mixing leadsto clearly better results in the individual mixing stages. Completeprior mixing of the main fuel stream with the exhaust gas stream of thepre-burner therefore has very advantageous effects on subsequent mixingin of the main air stream. In particular, the reactions initiated in themain fuel stream are controlled particularly well by means ofstep-by-step mixing, in that influence can be taken, in targeted manner,on reaction times, if mixing in of oxygen takes place with time offset,as explained above.

For an improvement in the reaction behavior of the fuel used, it canfurthermore be advantageous for a method for mixing of the main fuelstream with the main air stream if the main fuel stream flows through amixing nozzle before the main fuel stream is mixed with the main airstream in a ring nozzle. This embodiment of the method also leads, asexplained above, to an improved combustion sequence, in that influencecan be taken, in targeted manner, on pre-reactions of the fuel. The useof an advantageously configured mixing nozzle offers not only thepossibility of influencing reaction times, but also the possibility ofdefining the geometric flow progression and thus the spatial mixingbehavior of the main fuel stream with the exhaust gas stream. Thus, ifthis appears to be necessary, a spin can be imparted to the flow in amixing nozzle, or, if a spin was already present, an essentiallyspin-free flow to the main combustion chamber can be ensured.

Alternatively or cumulatively to the preceding solutions, in order toaccomplish the task stated initially, an axial piston motor having atleast one main burner that has at least one main combustion space aswell as at least one main nozzle space, and having at least onepre-burner that has at least one pre-combustion space as well as atleast one pre-nozzle space is proposed, whereby the pre-combustion spaceis connected with the main nozzle space by way of at least one hot gasfeed, and whereby the axial piston motor is characterized by an idle andat least a partial load, as well as by a main nozzle of the main burnerand a pre-nozzle of the pre-burner, which are coupled with one anotherby means of a control unit.

Coupling of the main nozzle and the pre-nozzle can therefore beadvantageously used for overall regulation of the axial piston motor,if, as the result of changing operating conditions, the different fuelstreams and air streams of the main burner and of the pre-burner must beadapted to these different operating conditions.

Alternatively or cumulatively to this, the task indicated above is alsoaccomplished by a method for operation of an axial piston motor havingat least one main burner and having at least one pre-burner, whereby anexhaust gas stream of the pre-burner is mixed into a main fuel stream ofthe main burner, and the method is characterized in that the main burneris ignited during a load jump from idle to a lowest partial load, usingthe main fuel stream, and a pre-fuel stream of the pre-burner isreduced, during the load jump, by at least half the amount of the mainfuel stream, more preferably by the amount of the main fuel stream.

Coupling of the main nozzle with the pre-nozzle by way of a controlunit, or the reduction of the pre-fuel stream when igniting the mainburner, advantageously contributes to the stability of the combustionbehavior of the overall burner, independent of the other characteristicsof the present invention, in that the load jump from idle to a lowestpartial load takes place as uniformly as possible and without anygreater difference in the initial torque of the axial piston motor.Thus, load surges that can be harmful for a drive train that follows theaxial piston motor and for driving comfort in a motor vehicle with anaxial piston motor can be reduced.

In this connection, in idle the pre-burner already preferably deliverssufficient burner output to operate the axial piston motor in stablemanner during this idling. If a higher load is demanded and thus themain burner is turned on, a particularly uniform and constant increasein the power of the entire burner is achieved in that the total fuelstream is at first kept constant, in that the pre-fuel stream ispreferably reduced by about the amount of the main fuel stream, asexplained above. As has been proven in practical experiments, however,even a reduction of the pre-fuel stream by half the main fuel streamused is already sufficient for a uniform load jump of the axial pistonmotor. As is immediately evident, however, any other ratio or any othercoupling between the pre-nozzle and the main nozzle and therefore alsobetween the pre-fuel stream and the main fuel stream can be adjusted.

Alternatively or cumulatively to the above embodiments of the invention,in order to accomplish the task stated initially, an axial piston motorhaving at least one compressor stage, having at least one main burnerthat has at least one main combustion space as well as at least one mainnozzle space with a main fuel stream, having at least one pre-burnerthat has at least one pre-combustion space as well as at least onepre-nozzle space with a pre-fuel stream, and having at least one mainair line between the compressor stage and a main mixing tube of thepre-burner is proposed, whereby the pre-combustion space is connectedwith the main nozzle space by way of at least one hot gas feed, and theaxial piston motor is characterized by at least one secondary air linebetween the compressor stage and the main burner, which line isconnected with the main combustion space and/or to the main burnerdownstream from the main combustion space.

Accordingly, alternatively or cumulatively to the methods describedabove to accomplish the task stated initially, a method for operation ofan axial piston motor having at least one main burner, having at leastone pre-burner and having an air stream is proposed, whereby the mainburner has at least one main combustion space as well as at least onemain nozzle space with a main fuel stream, whereby the pre-burner has atleast one pre-combustion space as well as at least one pre-nozzle spacewith a pre-fuel stream, whereby the pre-combustion space is connectedwith the main nozzle space by way of a hot gas feed, whereby the airstream has a main air stream for the main burner as well as a pre-airstream for the pre-burner, and whereby the method is characterized inthat during an idle and/or a partial load of the axial piston motor, atleast however during a load jump from idle to a lowest partial load, atleast one secondary air stream is taken from the air stream, and thesecondary air stream is fed into an exhaust gas stream downstream fromand/or within the main combustion space.

By means of this secondary air line explained above, or of the secondaryair stream, once again, the operating behavior of the axial piston motorduring idle, under a partial load, and, in particular, during a loadjump from idle to a partial load, can be advantageously operated inparticularly uniform and stable manner, in other words with a limitationof the load jump that is used.

A secondary air line, whereby this secondary air line as well as themain air line and the pre-air line advantageously can be parallelpartial air lines of a common overall air line connected with thecompressor stage, thereby making it possible to simplify control of themotor also independent of the other characteristics of the presentinvention, consequently advantageously reduces the amount of combustionair fed to the main burner, so that the fuel stream in the main burnercan also be reduced, on the basis of the lean limits that must beadhered to.

A reduction in the main fuel stream without a reduction in the main airstream would lead to extinguishing of the flame in the main burner inthe event of a drop below the lean limits, as is immediately evident.Thus, the power of the burner can be set lower, while maintaining aconstant fuel/air ratio, than would be the case without a secondary airline. The secondary air, which is then mixed back into the remaining airand exhaust gas stream behind a combustion zone of the main mixing tubein the combustion space, leads to further leanness of the exhaust gas atthis location, whereby the burner, particularly the main burner,nevertheless can be operated with stable combustion and with lowemissions, for the reasons explained above.

In this connection, “lean limit” refers to the fuel/air ratio at whichoperation of the burner or of the main burner is still possible with astable flame, without extinguishing of the flame.

“Idle” refers to that operating point of the axial piston motor at whichno or very low power is being given off to a power take-off shaft of theaxial piston motor, and the axial piston motor can be operated at thelowest stable speed of rotation. “Partial load,” in contrast to this,refers to any other operating point between idle and full load, whereby“full load” refers to the maximal torque given off at any desirablespeed of rotation, in each instance. Accordingly, “full load” explicitlydoes not refer to the point of maximal power output. Accordingly, a“lowest partial load” is the point in the characteristic field of theaxial piston motor at which the axial piston motor gives off thesmallest possible positive power that lies above the idle power, withoperation of the main burner and at the idle speed of rotation. As wasalready explained above, it is possible that the axial piston motor isoperated solely with the pre-burner in idle.

For an axial piston motor according to the embodiments explained above,it is furthermore advantageous if the pre-nozzle space is connected withthe pre-combustion space by way of the auxiliary hot gas feed. In thisway, the possibility exists of allowing treatment of the fuel injectedinto the pre-nozzle space by means of the exhaust gas taken from thepre-combustion space, in simple and operationally reliable manner. Inthis regard, internal exhaust gas recirculation within the pre-burner isimplemented by way of the reflux of exhaust gas from the pre-combustionspace into the pre-nozzle space.

For the remainder, it is furthermore advantageous for an axial pistonmotor having at least one main burner and having at least onepre-burner, which has at least one pre-combustion space as well as atleast one pre-nozzle space, even independent of the othercharacteristics of the present invention, if the pre-nozzle space isconnected with an auxiliary burner by way of an auxiliary hot gas feed.Therefore a further possibility exists of feeding exhaust gas or hotinert gas to the pre-nozzle space, without taking an exhaust gas streamfrom the pre-combustion space. In this connection, it is also possibleto feed any other inert gas extensively to the pre-nozzle space as a hotinert gas. This can be, for example, heated nitrogen, carbon dioxide,heated noble gases or also steam, whereby steam, in particular, can beused during combustion for reduction of emissions or for stabilizationof the combustion.

It should be pointed out that the term “inert” in connection withcombustion air or with combusted air particularly describes a gasmixture that has a component of reactive oxygen of close to 0, andtherefore on the one hand, no reaction with further fuel mixed in cantake place, and, on the other hand, because of the lack of oxygen, noproduction of emissions, such as the formation of nitric oxides, canstart, whereby nitric oxide is already interpreted as an inert gasbecause of its inertia. The term “inert gas” is therefore not usedexclusively for noble gases and nitrogen but also for exhaust gas withan oxygen content of close to 0.

Also, an axial piston motor can be configured in such a manner that themain fuel stream is gaseous before entry into the main combustion spaceand/or has a temperature above the highest boiling temperature of a fuelboiling progression. Furthermore, it is also possible and advantageousfor an axial piston motor if the pre-fuel stream is gaseous before entryinto the pre-combustion space and/or has a temperature above a highestboiling temperature of a fuel boiling progression. In this regard, suchan embodiment of an axial piston motor offers the advantage that theevaporation enthalpy required for formation of a mixture is not madeavailable by a reaction heat during combustion, but already beforemetering of fuel into the combustion air. In this way, the possibilityparticularly exists of allowing soot-free combustion, because thecombustion temperature is far higher in the case of fuel that is alreadypresent in gaseous form than would be the case for liquid fuel.

For a liquid fuel, it is also advantageous, in the present connection,if this fuel has approximately the highest temperature of its fuelboiling progression, thereby causing at least volatile components of thefuel to already be present in the gaseous aggregate state. In thisconnection, “boiling progression” means that part of the boiling curveof a fuel that does not take into consideration a residue or loss duringboiling. Thus, the term “boiling progression” refers to the constantcurve section of a boiling curve. Furthermore, “liquid fuel” refers toany fuel that is present in liquid form at room temperature and ambientpressure, in other words at 20° C. and 1 bar absolute.

If applicable, chemical or physical breakdown of the fuel can already bebrought about in this way, further reducing the emissions produced bythe motor.

In the above connection relating to the aggregate state of the fuel, itis furthermore advantageous for a method for operation of an axialpiston motor if evaporation heat from the exhaust gas stream is fed tothe main fuel stream while the exhaust gas stream is being mixed in, andthe main fuel stream makes a transition into a gaseous aggregate state.Also, it is likewise advantageous if evaporation heat from the exhaustgas stream is fed into the pre-fuel stream while the exhaust gas streamis being mixed in, and the pre-fuel stream makes a transition into agaseous aggregate state. These methods presuppose or require such a hightemperature of the exhaust gas, before it is mixed in, that thistemperature is sufficient at least for evaporation of the fuel duringmixing. As has already been explained above, the heat released fromcombustion by means of this method during combustion of a fuel/airmixture in the mixing tube of a burner, for example in the pre-mixingtube of the pre-burner or in the main mixing tube of the main burner, isno longer used for evaporation of the fuel by means of this method, andconsequently, less soot is formed during combustion, because the actualcombustion can take place at a higher temperature level.

Beyond this, in connection with the thermal treatment of the fuel, it isnot necessary to exclusively use a liquid fuel for an axial pistonmotor. It is furthermore just as advantageous to use a gaseous fuel foran axial piston motor, particularly according to the embodimentsexplained above, because this fuel can also be broken down on amolecular level even if no evaporation enthalpy has to be applied, bymeans of thermal treatment using pre-reactions, and therefore in turnvery low-emission combustion can take place.

Independent of the aggregate state of the fuel, whether gaseous orliquid, it is furthermore advantageous for a method for operation of anaxial piston motor if, on the one hand, heat from the exhaust gas streamis transferred to the main fuel stream while the exhaust gas stream ismixed in, and at least a component of the main fuel stream thermallydissociates, at least in part, and/or, on the other hand, heat from theexhaust gas stream is transferred to the pre-fuel stream while theexhaust gas stream is mixed in, and at least a component of the pre-fuelstream thermally dissociates, at least in part. Such method managementin an axial piston motor therefore offers the possibility of reducingsoot formation not only if the temperature level is raised by makingevaporation heat available, but also if the fuel is already treatedbefore formation of the mixture, in such a manner that pre-reactionsalready occur in this fuel. Thus a possibility exists of preventing orminimizing further emissions, such as nitric oxides, because thereaction time of the fuel with the air required in total for combustionis drastically reduced by means of the pre-reactions that have beeninitiated, and the formation of nitric oxides is suppressed. Thermallyformed nitric oxide that is formed according to the “Zeldovichmechanism,” for example, does not have a sufficiently long dwell time tobe formed in a sufficient amount, by means of the above embodiment, asis immediately evident.

It is furthermore beneficial for a method for operation of the axialpiston motor, for the reasons already stated above, if the exhaust gasstream fed to the pre-fuel stream is taken from the pre-combustion spaceand/or the exhaust gas stream fed to the pre-fuel stream is taken froman auxiliary burner. In this connection, it is furthermore advantageousfor a method for operation of an axial piston motor if the exhaust gasstream fed to the main fuel stream is taken from the pre-combustionspace. The advantage of this embodiment was also already explainedabove, whereby the metering of hot exhaust gas or any hot inert gas intothe fuel stream allows advantageous treatment of the fuel for the mostlow-emission, stable, and rapid combustion possible.

In order to advantageously implement treatment of the fuel in thepre-burner or in the main burner differently, it is furthermoreadvantageous for a method if mixing of the exhaust gas stream into thepre-fuel stream takes place before mixing of the pre-fuel stream intothe pre-air stream and/or if mixing of the exhaust gas stream into themain fuel stream takes place before mixing of the main fuel stream intoa main air stream. These embodiments also allow the thermal treatment ofthe fuel as explained above, so that the fuel can either already bepresent in gaseous form while it is being mixed in, in the mixing tube,in each instance, or can also have combustion intermediate products.

It is understood that the characteristics explained above are alsoadvantageous for an axial piston motor independent of all the othercharacteristics of the present invention.

In order to accomplish the task stated initially alternatively orcumulatively to the other characteristics of the invention, an axialpiston motor having at least one main burner that has at least one maincombustion space as well as at least one main nozzle space, and havingat least one pre-burner that has at least one pre-combustion space aswell as at least one pre-nozzle space is proposed, whereby thepre-combustion space is connected with the main nozzle space by way ofat least one hot gas feed, whereby a main fuel stream of the main burneris introduced into the main nozzle space by means of a main nozzle, andwhereby the axial piston motor is characterized in that the main fuelstream has a heating means upstream from the main nozzle.

The better regulatability, according to the task, and the stable runningbehavior of the axial piston motor, according to the task, can beguaranteed by means of the heating means mentioned above, in that themixture preparation is improved and supported by means of a heat amountfed in by way of this heating means. In particular, a temperaturedeficit that might exist shortly after a starting process, which couldresult from the cold combustion space walls, can be balanced out by wayof the heating means. Short-term high load demands on the burner canalso be made available, in operationally reliable manner, by means ofthe additional heating means, if the combustion behavior of the burnerdoes not meet these load demands.

In an advantageous embodiment, the heating means used for heating themain fuel stream can be an electrical heating means. In particular, theheating means can be a glow plug. Use of an electrical heating means ora glow plug as the heating means brings about independence of the heatstream made available for heating from the load and operating state ofthe axial piston motor, in each instance. Thus, as has already beenexplained above, the electrical heating means or the glow plug canpreferably be used during or after a cold start of the axial pistonmotor, to heat the main fuel stream.

A corresponding heating means can also be used for the pre-fuel streamor for any other fuel or automotive fuel mixture.

Thus, a further embodiment of a heating means can also consist in that aheat exchanger is used for heating a fuel or automotive fuel stream, andthis heat exchanger is disposed in an exhaust gas stream of the axialpiston motor. Preferably, in this connection, the heat exchanger can beused directly behind the expander stage of the axial piston motor, wherethe exhaust gas has a particularly high temperature level.

It is furthermore understood that the terms “fuel” and “automotive fuel”are used synonymously, and that a fuel or automotive fuel can containany liquid but also gaseous hydrocarbons or hydrocarbon mixtures, butalso other energy-containing substances that react exothermically withair. It is also understood that not necessarily air but also anothermedium compatible with the fuel can be used as a reaction partner.

The use of a heating means is furthermore still advantageous if theheating means, particularly if it is an electrical heating means, isdisposed in the immediate vicinity of the main nozzle or of another fuelnozzle. Thus, a heat loss is reduced by means of a particularly shortflow path from the heating means to the main nozzle or to an alternativefuel nozzle, and consequently, minimal energy expenditure is required toheat the fuel stream to the desired temperature, in each instance. Thisdesired temperature of the fuel consequently results from thetemperature that the fuel is supposed to have upon entry into theplanned combustion or mixing space, for example into the main nozzlespace, and not from the temperature to which the fuel is directly heatedby the heating means.

The characteristics explained above, with regard to fuel or automotivefuel heating, can be advantageous for an axial piston motor evenindependent of the other characteristics of the present invention.

Alternatively or cumulatively to the above characteristics of theinvention, in order to accomplish the task stated initially, an axialpiston motor is proposed that comprises at least one main burner thathas at least one main combustion space as well as at least one mainnozzle space, and at least one pre-burner that has at least onepre-combustion space as well as at least one pre-nozzle space, wherebythe pre-combustion space is connected with the main nozzle space by wayof at least one hot gas feed, whereby the pre-burner has a pre-burneraxis, the hot gas feed has a feed axis, and the main burner has a mainburner axis, and whereby the axial piston motor is characterized in thatthe pre-burner axis and/or the feed axis encloses an angle between 75°and 105°, preferably an angle between 85° and 95°, and most preferablyan angle of 90°, with the main burner axis, at least in a projectionplane that is oriented not only parallel to the main burner axis butalso parallel to the pre-burner axis and/or to the feed axis.

In the present connection, the terms “pre-burner axis,” “main burneraxis,” and “feed axis” refer to axes, in each instance, that are definedby the main flow direction in the modules, in each instance, andgenerally correspond to the basic geometry of these modules. Pre-burneraxis and main burner axis generally correspond to the main symmetry axesof the pre-combustion chamber and of the main combustion chamber,respectively, while the feed axis generally corresponds to the axis of achannel by way of which the hot gas is fed to the main burner. Ifnecessary, namely in an extreme case where no main direction can beassigned to the hot gas feed, because it takes place by way of multiplechannels or actually a ring nozzle, the term “feed axis” in the presentconnection can also cover a plane that describes the main flow directionup to the entry into the main burner or into the main nozzle space. Inturn, an axis results from a projection in this plane, on the basis ofwhich axis the angle determination presented above can take place.

The almost right-angle arrangement of the axes described above bringsabout a high degree of mixing, because the main fuel stream must entrainthe hot gas. In this way, the hot gas can develop its effectparticularly well, and this particularly applies if the main fuel streamis guided essentially in a straight line or coaxial to the maincombustion chamber.

Independent of the placement of the axes described above to accomplishthe task, an axial piston motor having at least one main burner that hasat least one main combustion space as well as at least one main nozzlespace, and having at least one pre-burner that has at least onepre-combustion space as well as at least one pre-nozzle space isproposed, alternatively or cumulatively, also to the othercharacteristics of the invention, whereby the pre-combustion space isconnected with the pre-nozzle space by way of at least one hot gas feed,and whereby the axial piston motor is characterized in that a ring spaceis provided on the pre-burner side of the main nozzle space. In thisconnection, it should be emphasized that a ring space is characterizedby two concentrically disposed wall regions, an inner wall and an outerwall, by means of which a very uniform movement of the gas flowingthrough the ring space can be forced to occur. This, independent of theother characteristics of the present invention, brings about very goodhomogeneity of the hot gas with the main fuel stream.

The ring space and the arrangement of the axes, individually butparticularly in interplay, bring about compulsory guidance of the fluidpresent in the main nozzle space, and reduce zones of a non-homogeneousmixture, in which soot formation can be promoted. Furthermore, aparticularly homogeneously mixed fluid, consisting of fuel and exhaustgas or hot gas, has a particularly advantageous effect in the subsequentcombustion process of the main burner.

Homogenization of the mixture produced in the main nozzle space isparticularly advantageously influenced if the pre-burner axis and/or thefeed axis lie tangential to the ring space. The configuration of theaforementioned axes, tangential to the ring space, causes the hot gas toflow into the ring space in particularly uniform manner, so thatconsequently, undesirable dead area in which the gas stands still can beavoided. In this connection, it should be pointed out that the directionof the pre-burner axis and the direction of the feed axis can diverge ifthe hot gas feed does not have a cylindrical, conical, or at leastessentially one-dimensional progression. In this regard, the hot gasfeed can also have a curve-shaped or arc-shaped progression in itslongitudinal direction. In such a case, the aforementioned feed axis isdefined at every point at which the hot gas feed opens directly into themain nozzle space or into the ring space. Likewise, it is immediatelyevident that the pre-burner axis and the feed axis coincide if the hotgas feed does not have a significant expanse, in other words has a veryshort length along these axes.

The pre-burner axis or feed axis configured as a tangent to the ringspace can advantageously lie tangential to the ring space at a distance,whereby the distance corresponds to the average ring radius. The“average ring radius” essentially corresponds to the arithmetic mean ofthe greatest as well as the smallest radius of the ring space relativeto the axis of the ring space or to the main burner axis, if the ringspace is disposed coaxial to the main burner axis. If the hot gas feedhas a smaller diameter than the thickness of the ring space, whereby“thickness” mathematically means the difference between the smallest andthe greatest radius of the ring space, the distance between thepre-burner axis or the feed axis can also be greater or smaller than theaverage ring radius, as is immediately evident. In this regard, astraight line that runs on a surface of the hot gas feed can beconfigured as a tangent to an outer surface of the ring space, so thatthe hot gas feed makes a constant transition into a surface of the ringspace, at least at one point, and there specifically does not form anedge at which tear of the flow can take place.

It is understood that the term “lie tangential” is specifically notdefined in the strict mathematical sense, whereby an axis that liestangential to the ring space would have to mathematically touch the ringspace at its greatest radius. As explained above, with regard to thegreatest radius of the ring space, a tangential axis is understood as asecant, whereby the average radius defined above or the full circleformed by the average radius can form a tangential arrangement with anaxis also in the mathematical sense. It should be emphasized that alsoin connection with the average radius, an axis can be not only a tangentor secant but also a passant. In particular, the term “lie tangential”should be interpreted as non-radial and non-axial.

The average ring radius is preferably disposed coaxial to the mainburner axis, so that the mixture of hot gas and fuel can be configuredto be particularly homogeneous.

Alternatively or cumulatively to the above characteristics, in order toaccomplish the task stated initially, a method for operation of an axialpiston motor having at least one main burner and having at least onepre-burner is proposed, whereby an exhaust gas stream of the pre-burneris mixed into a main fuel stream of the main burner, and whereby themethod is characterized in that the exhaust gas stream of the pre-burneris guided tangentially from a ring space into the main nozzle space.

As has already been explained above, in this way particularly low-pulseflow of the exhaust gas into the ring space or into the main nozzlespace is achieved, insofar as the exhaust gas that is flowing in can beuniformly distributed in the entire ring space and can mix homogeneouslywith the fuel found there, the main fuel stream. Pulse-affecteddeflection of the exhaust gas stream as it flows into the ring space orinto the main nozzle space can lead to dead areas and tears in flow,under some circumstances, whereby soot formation can occur there due tolack of good mixing.

As is immediately evident, the term “dead area” is not exclusivelyreserved for flows in liquid media, but rather also refers to swirledregions and disruptions in the flow progression of gaseous media.

Furthermore, the method explained above can be improved to the effectthat the exhaust gas stream of the pre-burner is guided into the mainnozzle space at a distance from an axis of symmetry of the ring space,and that the distance corresponds to an average ring radius of the ringspace. This further embodiment also leads, as described above, touniform introduction and to good mixing of the exhaust gas with the mainfuel stream, because a uniform transition or a uniform flow from the hotgas feed into the ring space is made possible. Also, this embodiment ofthe method makes it possible to configure the largest possible flowcross-section in the hot gas feed, without producing flows in the ringspace that hinder mixing, because surface disruptions, such as those dueto edges or corners, for example, can be minimized by means of thismethod.

Alternatively or cumulatively, the task indicated above is accomplishedby an axial piston motor having at least one main burner that has atleast one main combustion space as well as at least one main nozzlespace, and having at least one pre-burner that has at least onepre-combustion space as well as at least one pre-nozzle space, wherebythe pre-combustion space is connected with the pre-nozzle space by wayof at least one hot gas feed, and whereby the axial piston motor ischaracterized in that a ring nozzle for hot gas feed into the mainnozzle space is provided on the pre-burner side of the main nozzlespace. Such a ring nozzle also advantageously contributes tohomogenization of the mixture of hot gas and fuel, so that the lattercan be better developed or prepared.

Alternatively or cumulatively, the task indicated above is accomplishedby an axial piston motor having at least one main burner that has atleast one main combustion space as well as at least one main nozzlespace, and having at least one pre-burner that has at least onepre-combustion space as well as at least one pre-nozzle space, wherebythe pre-combustion space is connected with the main nozzle space by wayof at least one hot gas feed, and whereby the axial piston motor ischaracterized in that the main burner has a ring nozzle on the mainnozzle space side of a main mixing tube. While the ring nozzle mentionedabove is used for rapid mixing of the hot gas with the fuel, and thusheat transport and material transport are advantageously influenced, thering nozzle that is provided in an advantageous embodiment for feed of amain air stream into the main mixing tube serves for rapid materialtransport and for rapid mixing in of the air that is introduced. Fromthis, rapid combustion of the previously treated fuel occurs, at minimalproduction of emissions, because on the one hand, low-oxygen combustionzones and thereby soot are avoided, and on the other hand, littlereaction time remains for the formation of nitric oxides.

Preferably, the ring nozzle is disposed coaxial to its main burner axisand/or coaxial to a main injection direction of the main nozzle, whichaccordingly leads to extremely homogeneous flame management.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the axial piston motor, the ringnozzle has at least one conically configured mantle surface with a coneangle of less than 45°. The flow, which is guided into the main mixingtube at an acute angle, for example that of the main air stream,advantageously leads to good mixing of the two gas streams that arebrought together, without dead areas forming. Consequently, thisembodiment of the ring nozzle offers a further possibility forpreventing soot formation.

The term “conically configured mantle surface” means a surface of thering nozzle along which the gas injected through the ring nozzle flows.Furthermore, in this connection, a surface that is only configuredpartially conically is meant by this, whereby the nozzle generally doesnot necessarily have to describe a complete cone, but rather also has atruncated cone as the gas-conducting surface. The “cone angle” isconsequently the angle enclosed by a straight line that runs on the conesurface and the axis of symmetry of the cone. It is furthermoreunderstood that two different surfaces of the ring nozzle can beconfigured conically, but with different cone angles.

Alternatively or cumulatively to the above characteristics of theinvention, in order to accomplish the task stated initially, an axialpiston motor having at least one main burner that has at least one maincombustion space as well as at least one main nozzle space, and havingat least one pre-burner that has at least one pre-combustion space aswell as at least one pre-nozzle space, is proposed, whereby thepre-combustion space is connected with the main nozzle space by way ofat least one hot gas feed, and whereby the axial piston motor ischaracterized in that the pre-combustion space and/or the pre-nozzlespace has an insulation on an outer wall. The ring space described abovecan also have a corresponding insulation.

This insulation, which can advantageously be provided also on an insideouter wall of the spaces or combustion spaces indicated above, cancontribute to minimizing wall heat losses and thermal degrees of effectlosses connected with these wall heat losses. It is immediately evidentthat by means of this measure, the total degree of effectiveness of theaxial piston motor can also be optimized, while increasing the thermaldegree of effectiveness.

In axial piston motors, insulation of a combustion space wall by meansof ceramic layers, as disclosed, for example, in WO 2009/062473, isalready known. The use of insulation in a pre-combustion space and/or ina pre-nozzle space, however, offers clear advantages on contrast to usein a main combustion space according to the state of the art, becausesteady-state conditions can be adjusted in a pre-burner, to a greatextent, with uniform flow velocities, if load regulation takes place byway of the main burner. Thus, the insulation used can be coordinatedwith the heat flows that occur, in more targeted manner, thereby makingit possible to achieve greater security against mechanical failure.

Accordingly, when using a two-stage or even multi-stage control of apre-burner, in other words particularly in the case of load control byway of the pre-burner, insulation can surprisingly bring advantages foran axial piston motor, despite the non-steady-state conditions. In thisconnection, it has been shown in practical experiments that insulationof the pre-burner can suppress any non-steady state behavior it mightdemonstrate, to a great extent, and thereby a stabilized flametemperature but also stabilized emission behavior of the pre-burner canbe achieved. These advantages, implemented in a pre-burner, gainparticular importance if hot gas having a uniform quality must be fed toa subsequent main burner. On the one hand, the main burner can also beoperated in more stable ranges because of the stable operation of thepre-burner, and on the other hand, regulation of the main burner becomesfar simpler, because some of the interference factors that act onregulation of the main burner, such as those caused by thenon-steady-state operating behavior of the pre-burner, are eliminated.Thus, ultimately simple control circuits can be used, because it ispossible to do without cascade controls or controls with complex statusspaces.

It is particularly advantageous for an axial piston motor if theinsulation is configured to be ceramic. Thus, the insulation is promotedby particularly low heat conductivity.

As is furthermore evident, alternative materials can also be used asinsulation, as long as the melt temperature of the material used ishigher than the combustion space temperature or nozzle spacetemperature, in each instance. Thus, for example, a high-alloyaustenitic steel offers heat conductivity that is reduced by abouttwo-thirds, as compared with non-alloyed steel. Also, in thisconnection, further alternative materials, for example titanium, arepossible.

Alternative or cumulatively to the above characteristics of theinvention, in order to accomplish the task stated initially, an axialpiston motor having at least one fuel nozzle and having at least onefuel line connected with the fuel nozzle is proposed, which motor ischaracterized in that the fuel line is configured at least in part as aheat-absorbing chamber of at least one heat exchanger, upstream from thefuel nozzle. This embodiment offers advantages for an axial piston motorinsofar as a fuel injection by means of the fuel nozzle is heated beforebeing injected, and thus the formation of a fuel/air mixture within theaxial piston motor or within a combustion space of the axial pistonmotor can take place clearly more homogeneously and more rapidly, whichcan manifest itself in much more low-emission combustion than would bethe case in the event of injection with cold fuel. The heat exchangerused for this purpose can have the said heat-absorbing chamber and afurther heat-emitting chamber, through which a hot fluid is passed toheat the fuel, to achieve this purpose.

Also, alternatively or cumulatively, the fuel line itself can be laidaround or through a hot component of the axial piston motor.

However, the use of a heat exchanger particularly offers advantages if afluid is used for heating the fuel, which fluid has a heat stream thatleads out of the axial piston motor applied to it in any case, such asan exhaust gas.

In connection with fuel heating by means of heat transfer, it isaccordingly advantageous if at least one heat-emitting chamber of theheat exchanger is configured, at least in part, as an exhaust gas line,as a coolant line and/or as a lubricant line. This method of proceduremakes it possible, as is immediately evident, to make available an axialpiston motor that not only has stable and low-emission combustion, butalso has an increased level of effectiveness, in that energy that exitsfrom the axial piston motor is recovered and coupled back into thecirculation of the axial piston motor.

In order to accomplish the task stated initially alternatively orcumulatively to the above characteristics, a method for operation of anaxial piston motor having at least one fuel nozzle and having at leastone fuel line is furthermore accordingly proposed, whereby the fuel lineleads a fuel stream to the fuel nozzle, and the method is characterizedin that the fuel stream is heated upstream from this fuel nozzle.

Furthermore, alternatively or cumulatively to the other characteristicsof the invention, and in order to accomplish the task stated initially,a method for operation of an axial piston motor having at least one fuelnozzle and at least one fuel line is proposed, whereby the fuel linefeeds a fuel stream to the fuel nozzle, and the method is characterizedin that the fuel stream is heated in the fuel line, upstream from thefuel nozzle, by means of a fluid that flows outside of the fuel line. Inthis connection, the fluid heating the fuel can additionally be anexhaust gas stream, a coolant stream and/or a lubricant stream of theaxial piston motor.

Furthermore, alternatively or cumulatively to the above characteristics,and in order to accomplish the task stated initially, a method foroperation of an axial piston motor having at least one fuel nozzle andhaving at least one fuel line is proposed, in which the fuel line feedsa fuel stream to the fuel nozzle, and which is characterized in that thefuel stream is heated in the fuel line, upstream from the fuel nozzle,by means of a heat flow of the axial piston motor.

The above embodiments for heating the fuel or of the method for heatinga fuel offer the advantage, as has already been explained above, aswell, on the one hand, of raising the fuel to a temperature level, evenbefore injection, that leads to the result, during combustion of thefuel with air, that soot particles but also nitric oxides can bereduced, on the basis of the hot and rapid combustion.

Also, the above methods for heating the fuel offer the possibility ofrecirculating non-used waste heat of the axial piston motor back intothe circulation process of the axial piston motor, and thereby to raisethe thermodynamic level of effectiveness of the axial piston motor.

In the previously indicated case of heating of the fuel by means of aheat stream, the heat stream can, in particular, be derived, directlyand/or indirectly, from a friction power, from a waste heat streamand/or from an exhaust gas stream of the axial piston motor. Thefriction power that occurs between moving components of a power machineis conducted away by way of a lubricant stream, in the predominantembodiments of internal combustion engine drives, whereby this lubricantstream is passed through a heat exchanger and the heat of the lubricantstream that is produced by friction is dissipated into the environment.In this regard, use of the lubricant stream that is present in any eventand of the heat exchanger in this lubricant stream that is present inany event, for heating the fuel, offers particular advantages, becauseit is possible to do without additional effort and expense with regardto the components used and the construction space used.

At this point, “waste heat stream” means the sum of all the other heatstreams of a power machine, which impacts in radiation energy at thesurface of the power machine or also by means of heating of the coolantcircuit. In view of a coolant circuit that is also present, it isparticularly simple and advantageous, in this case as well, to heat afuel line by way of a heat exchanger, by means of the coolant circuit orthe cooling water circuit.

In addition or alternatively to the heat or fluid circuit explainedabove, use of the exhaust gas stream for heating the fuel is also apossibility, whereby an additional heat exchanger can be integrated intothe exhaust gas train, particularly if a heat exchanger is alreadyprovided for heating the air that is fed in.

The exhaust gas stream can preferably be used for heating the fuel,because the exhaust gas of a power machine usually demonstratesparticularly high temperatures, in other words a particularly hightemperature gradient relative to the fuel. However, the use of a singlematerial stream or heat stream for heating the fuel does not precludeuse of the additional material streams or heat streams. Accordingly, acombination of all the stated possibilities for heating a fuel can alsobe used, insofar as the fuel is first pre-heated by oil or watercircuits and only subsequently heated to the desired temperature bymeans of the exhaust gas.

Advantageously for a method for operation of an axial piston motor, thefuel stream can be heated, for fuel heating, to a temperature greaterthan 700° C., more preferably to a temperature greater than 900° C.,even more preferably to a temperature greater than 1100° C. In thismanner, it is ensured that the fuel is not only present in gaseous form,but also molecules of the fuel are already broken down within the fuelline, for a better reaction with the combustion air.

In order to accomplish the task stated initially, alternatively orcumulatively to the above characteristics of the invention, an axialpiston motor having a heat exchanger, which has an exhaust gas streamand a working gas stream separate from the exhaust gas stream, whichtransfers heat from the exhaust gas stream to the working gas stream,which has a longitudinal axis, and which has a working gas chamber thatruns along the longitudinal axis, can be characterized in that ahousing, the working gas chamber and/or the exhaust gas chamber of theheat exchanger are mechanically coupled with one another, rigidly at afirst end of their longitudinal expanse, and elastically at a second endof their longitudinal expanse. Furthermore, the elastic coupling canhave a metallic membrane.

An advantage of the aforementioned embodiment of an axial piston motorand of a heat exchanger used with this axial piston motor results fromthe particular ability of the heat exchanger to allow heat exchange ofthe two stated fluids, in operationally reliable and gastight manner,even at a particularly high temperature level of the exhaust gas streamor in the event of a very great temperature difference between theexhaust gas stream and the working gas stream. The high temperaturelevel, as expected, brings about non-uniform longitudinal expansion inthe heat exchanger, whereby the non-uniform heat expansion can lead toparticularly great heat stresses in the housing or in the two chambersof the heat exchanger. These heat stresses, in the worst case scenario,lead to failure of the heat exchanger, which leads to failure of theaxial piston motor.

The chambers of the heat exchanger, which are rigidly coupled, on theone hand, or a chamber of the heat exchanger rigidly coupled with thehousing, lead to different longitudinal expansions of the components, ineach instance, at the other end, in each instance, the second end of thelongitudinal expanse of the heat exchanger. At this second end of thelongitudinal expanse of the heat exchanger, the previously mentionedelastic membrane is provided, which seals the working gas chamber, theexhaust gas chamber and/or the housing of the heat exchanger relative toone another and relative to the environment, in gastight manner, and,because of its elastic properties, allows mechanical length equalizationof the components coupled with one another, without the occurrence ofimpermissibly great heat stresses.

It is understood that an elastic coupling by way of a membrane can beused at the first end of the longitudinal expanse of the heat exchanger,even in the case of a heat exchanger that is not produced from differentmaterials and thus different longitudinal expansions within the heatexchanger are not expected, at first. A non-uniform temperaturedistribution in the heat exchanger can therefore require advantageoususe of a membrane for elastic coupling.

Preferably, the elastic coupling is provided on a cold side of the heatexchanger, because then—particularly at high temperatures—a negativeinfluence of the heat on the elastic coupling can be minimized.

It is furthermore understood that the characteristics of the solutionsdescribed above or in the claims can also be combined, if necessary, inorder to be able to implement the advantages cumulatively, accordingly.

Additional advantages, objectives and properties of the presentinvention will be explained using the following description of theattached drawings. These show:

FIG. 1 a schematic sectional representation of a burner for an axialpiston motor having a main burner and a pre-burner;

FIG. 2 a schematic sectional representation of the pre-burner of anaxial piston motor according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 a top view of a pre-burner according to FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 a schematic sectional view of an axial piston motor having aburner according to the state of the art, to explain the technologicalbackground, whereby modules that have the same effect as in the burneraccording to FIGS. 1 to 3 are also numbered the same way;

FIG. 5 a schematic sectional representation of the main burner of anaxial piston motor, having a ring space as the main nozzle space;

FIG. 6 a further schematic sectional representation of the main burneraccording to FIG. 5 with a pre-burner in a sectional representation;

FIG. 7 a top view of the arrangement of main burner and pre-burner shownin FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 a heat exchanger in a sectional representation, with a fuelheating system for an axial piston motor;

FIG. 9 the arrangement of main burner and pre-burner according to FIG.6, with a further fuel heating system; and

FIG. 10 a detailed representation of the fuel heating system accordingto FIG. 9.

The burner for an axial piston motor 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 has a mainburner 2 and a pre-burner 3.

The pre-burner 3 connected with a main nozzle space 23 of the mainburner 2 by way of a hot gas feed 30 furthermore has a pre-air line 35and a pre-nozzle 32 for the formation of a fuel/air mixture. In thisconnection, the pre-air line 35 opens into a pre-mixing tube 37, wherebythe pre-air line 35 conveys a pre-air stream 36 into this pre-mixingtube 37.

Furthermore, a pre-nozzle space 33 is assigned to the pre-mixing tube37, into which space a pre-fuel stream 34 is introduced by way of thepre-nozzle 32. The fuel/air mixture made available in the pre-mixingtube 37 is combusted in essentially isobar manner during operation ofthe axial piston motor 1, at the exit of this pre-mixing tube 37, andpassed to a pre-combustion space 31.

Combustion of the fuel/air mixture takes place, in this connection, in apre-combustion zone 38, at a transition between the pre-mixing tube 37and the pre-combustion space 31, whereby the pre-combustion space 31 isflooded with hot exhaust gas. The exhaust gas produced in the pre-burner3 is preferably a stoichiometric exhaust gas, which is passed to themain burner 2 after entry into the pre-combustion space 31, by way ofthe hot gas feed 30.

The pre-combustion space 31, which is furthermore delimited and cooledby way of a pre-combustion space wall 39, preferably has a cylindricalstructure, whereby the hot gas feed 30 is disposed concentric to thepre-combustion space 31 in this embodiment.

The cylindrical pre-combustion space wall 39 has additional hollowchambers on its side facing away from the pre-combustion space 31, whichbring about additional insulation with regard to the surroundings of thepre-burner 3. For this purpose, the cavity provided on thepre-combustion space wall 39 can be flooded with air, exhaust gas, thepre-air stream 36, or with cooling water. Passing the pre-air stream 36through the cavity of the pre-combustion space wall 39 additionallybrings about recovery and recirculation of the heat given off at thepre-combustion space wall 39, which heat is passed back to thepre-burner 3 by way of the pre-air line 35.

In contrast to this, the pre-mixing tube 37, and, in particular, thepre-combustion zone 38 are disposed outside of an axis of symmetry ofthe pre-combustion space 31. In this embodiment, an axis of symmetry orrotation of the pre-mixing tube 37 intersects the axis of rotation ofthe pre-combustion space 31 within the hot gas feed 30.

This asymmetrical arrangement between pre-mixing tube 37 andpre-combustion space 31 has the result, during operation of thepre-burner 3, that circulation of the exhaust gas that is produced comesabout in such a manner that an exhaust gas stream always impacts on anentry of an auxiliary hot gas feed 40. This auxiliary hot gas feed 40 inturn is connected with the pre-nozzle space 33 in the embodimentdescribed, and thereby produces internal exhaust gas recirculationwithin the pre-burner 3.

The internal exhaust gas recirculation by the auxiliary hot gas feedfurthermore brings about at least heating and preferably evaporation ofthe pre-fuel stream 34 within the pre-nozzle space 33, as long as theexhaust gas has a sufficiently high temperature.

As is particularly shown in FIG. 3, the pre-burner 3 has threeindividual auxiliary hot gas feeds 40 between the pre-combustion space31 and the pre-nozzle space 33. These auxiliary hot gas feeds 40 aredisposed symmetrical to the plane of the section according to FIG. 2,whereby the increased number of auxiliary gas feeds 40 ensure a greaterexhaust gas stream.

In this connection, it is also possible that the additional auxiliaryhot gas feeds 40 are also structured to be controllable, so that anexhaust gas stream fed to the pre-nozzle space 33 can be regulated interms of its amount or its mass. The auxiliary hot gas sensor 4, whichin this case can be a temperature or pressure sensor, but also a lambdasensor for measuring the exhaust gas composition, is used for theseregulation purposes, if applicable.

If a sufficiently high temperature of the exhaust gas is present, forexample a temperature of 700° C., the recirculated exhaust gas in thepre-nozzle space 33 brings about not only atomization and evaporation ofthe pre-fuel stream 34, but also first dissociation processes orpre-reactions within the pre-fuel stream 34. It should be emphasized, atthis point, that “pre-reaction” means any reaction of the fuel,particularly also reactions without the participation of oxygen.

This embodiment of the pre-burner 3 therefore results in particularlyefficient, hot, and rapid combustion in the pre-combustion zone 38,thereby inhibiting soot formation, in particular, but also nitric oxideformation. Soot formation is inhibited, by this embodiment ofcombustion, by means of the very high combustion temperature.

High temperatures during combustion of a fuel/air mixture could,however, bring about very high concentrations of nitric oxides, if theZeldovich mechanism goes into effect. For this reason, reduced emissionof nitric oxides is not expected by a person skilled in the art, atfirst, despite particularly hot combustion. However, the thermaltreatment of the fuel in the pre-nozzle space 33, but also in the mainnozzle space 23, apparently advantageously brings about moleculardecomposition of the fuel, already starting at that point, and thereforeapparently also an increased formation of radicals, which clearlyaccelerate the combustion reactions and thereby inhibit the formation ofnitric oxides.

The reaction velocities for most combustion processes are known todepend not only on the temperature but also on the pressure duringcombustion. Thus, a reaction of the fuel components with air takes placemore rapidly by many orders of magnitude, if the combustion temperatureor the combustion pressure is higher, as is implemented in theembodiment explained above.

After the treatment of the fuel also explained above, little timeremains for the formation of thermal nitric oxide during combustion at ahigh temperature level if the combustion educts, in other words the airand the fuel, are sufficiently pre-heated, and a chain start as well asa chain branching of the combustion already set in immediately beforemixing in of the fuel into the combustion air, in other words ahead ofthe actual reaction zone. In this connection, it is particularlyadvantageous if the fuel and/or the combustion air are pre-heated up toa temperature above which specifically no thermal nitric oxide is formedor equilibrium reactions for the formation of thermal nitric oxideaccording to the Zeldovich mechanism specifically do not demonstrate anynoteworthy conversion.

Therefore, particularly preferably, a pre-fuel stream 34 in thepre-nozzle space 33, but also a main fuel stream 24 in the main nozzlespace 23 is pre-heated to a temperature of around 1000° C., below whicha noteworthy conversion specifically does not set in. It is immediatelyevident that the fuel in the pre-nozzle space 33 or in the main nozzlespace 23 can also have a higher temperature, if the temperature dropsfar below 1000° C. during mixing of the fuel in the pre-mixing tube 37or a main mixing tube 27 of the main burner 2, because of the combustionair, which is cold relative to the fuel.

For monitoring and regulation processes within the pre-burner 3, thepre-burner 3 furthermore has a spark plug 8 as well as an auxiliary hotgas sensor 4 as well as a hot gas sensor 5. While the spark plug 8, canbe used, as is immediately evident, for a starting process of thepre-burner 3, it is possible to measure either the temperature, thepressure, or the composition of the exhaust gas conveyed in theauxiliary hot gas feed 40, by way of the auxiliary hot gas sensor 4. Inthe same manner, the hot gas sensor 5 can also be used for monitoringthe exhaust gas fed to the main burner 3 by way of the hot gas feed 30.

In a manner similar to how exhaust gas in the pre-burner 3 is fed to thepre-nozzle space 33, treatment of the main fuel stream 24 injected byway of a main nozzle 22 also takes place in the main burner 2, asindicated above.

As is immediately evident, in this connection the pre-burner 3 works asan external hot gas generator for the main burner 2, which itself doesnot have any internal exhaust gas recirculation in this exemplaryembodiment.

The main nozzle space 23, contrary to the pre-nozzle space 33, isdisposed on an axis with the main mixing tube 27 and a main combustionspace 21. An asymmetrical arrangement between the main nozzle space 23and the main combustion space 21 or the main mixing tube 27 is possible.The combustion air fed to the main mixing tube 27 by way of a main airstream 26 flows laterally into the main mixing tube 27 by way of a ringchannel, and there reacts in a main combustion zone 28, with the releaseof heat and in isobar manner, in order to thereupon flow, as exhaustgas, into the main combustion space 21 at first. The main air stream 26is conveyed to the main mixing tube 27 of the main burner 2 by way of amain air line 25, whereby the main air line 25, together with thepre-air line 35, is connected with a compressor stage 11, not shown, ofthe axial piston motor 1, as it is known according to the state of theart and shown in FIG. 4.

In the main burner 2, as well, sensors for a control unit are providedfor the purpose of regulating combustion and power. Thus, a nozzle spacesensor 6 is provided on the main nozzle space 23, by means of which thetemperature, the pressure and/or the exhaust gas composition within themain nozzle space 21 can be detected. In addition, the main mixing tube27 has a mixing tube sensor 7 that can determine the composition, thetemperature, in the main combustion zone 28 or, if necessary, thepressure in the main combustion zone 28, and pass it on to a controlunit.

It is immediately evident that a cavity of the pre-combustion space 39can also be used for heating the pre-fuel stream 34 or the main fuelstream 24. If the fuel is passed through the cavity of thepre-combustion space wall, it already takes on heat energy before beinginjected into the pre-nozzle space 33 or the main nozzle space 23, whichenergy positively influences spray formation or droplet decompositionduring injection, in that mixture formation energy is already suppliedto the fuel before a mixing process with air. The pre-fuel stream 34 orthe main fuel stream 24 can also already be heated, under certainoperating conditions such as full load of the axial piston motor 1, insuch a manner that it makes a transition in a fuel line 41, or, instead,because of the existing pressure drop, during injection into thepre-nozzle space 33 or main nozzle space 23, into the gaseous aggregatestate. As is immediately evident, the embodiments explained above,relating to a pre-combustion space wall 39, can also be applied to amain combustion space wall 29.

In the burner arrangement of the axial piston motor 1 described usingFIGS. 1 to 3, furthermore a combustion method is applied, in such amanner that after mixing of the pre-fuel stream 34 with the pre-airstream 36, no further feed of combustion air takes place, until themixture of main fuel stream 24 and hot gas or exhaust gas of thepre-burner 3, produced in the main nozzle space 23, is fed to the mainmixing tube 27. Mixing in of the main air stream 26 takes place, incontrast to the state of the art, in or directly ahead of the mainmixing tube 27, and not just in the main combustion chamber 21. Theone-stage combustion applied in this connection, particularly in thepre-burner 3, brings about good regulatability of the residual oxygencontent, which is adjusted to be close to zero. Thus, treatment of thefuel introduced with the main fuel stream 24 takes place in the mainnozzle space 23, without oxidation already taking place. Consequently,this method management, without residual oxygen in the hot gas that isfed in, brings about the result that production of emissions, forexample the formation of nitric oxides, is inhibited.

An embodiment of an axial piston motor 1 according to the state of theart, with a compressor stage 11, will be described below to explain thetechnological background, using FIG. 4.

The compressor stage 11, with compressor pistons 13 disposed parallel toone another, draws air in out of the environment, by way of apre-compressor control drive 15, and conveys this air, after it has beencompressed, into an air line, not shown, which opens at least into themain air line 25 and into the pre-air line 35 on the burner according toFIG. 1.

The axial piston motor 1 according to FIG. 4 furthermore has a mainburner 2 and a pre-burner 3 according to the state of the art, whichfire or drive an expander stage 12 with expander pistons 14, by way ofan exhaust gas produced in the main combustion space 21, whereby at thispoint, the burner according to FIGS. 1 to 3 can also be directlyapplied. For this purpose, the exhaust gas exiting from the maincombustion space 21 is passed on to one of the expander pistons 14, ineach instance, by way of a shot channel 18, in each instance, whichpiston gives off power to a power take-off shaft 10 of the axial pistonmotor 1, with positive piston work. The relaxed exhaust gas is conductedinto an exhaust gas line 44, by way of expander outlet valves 16, afterit has been fed to the expander pistons 14 by way of expander inletvalves 17.

In contrast to the embodiment of the main burner 2 according to FIG. 1,the main burner 2 according to FIG. 4 does not have a Laval nozzle 9,which can also be eliminated for use in the axial piston motor 1, butrather, it has a combustion space bottom 19, onto which the exhaust gasflowing out of the main burner 2 impacts, or by means of which theexhaust gas is deflected into the shot channels 18.

At this point, a further advantage of the pre-burner 3 and main burner 2according to the invention and according to FIG. 1 becomes evident,because that embodiment brings about fewer pulsations within the twopartial burners because of their geometrical configuration. Also, a mainburner 2 according to the state of the art does not have a main mixingtube 27, in which the main air stream 26 is fed into the main fuelstream 24. The axial piston motor 1 shown in FIG. 4 instead has a maincombustion zone 28 that already projects greatly into the maincombustion space 21. A significant difference from the embodiment of theaxial piston motor 1 according to the invention, however, lies in thepre-combustion chamber 3, which does not have any auxiliary hot gas feed40 and therefore also no stabilized flame formation in the pre-burner 3in the state of the art.

The alternative embodiment of a main burner according to FIG. 5, incontrast to the embodiment described above, has a main nozzle space 23that is surrounded by a ring space 30A. The hot gas feed 30 opens intothis ring space 30A, whereby a feed axis 53 of this hot gas feed 30intersects a main burner axis 51 at an angle of approximately 90° in theprojection plane used in the representation of FIG. 5. At the same time,the main burner axis 51 is the axis of symmetry of the main combustionspace 21, the main mixing tube 27, and the main nozzle space 23 that areshown, as well as of the ring space 30A. Similar to the ring space 30A,the main air line 25, which guides the main air stream 26, is alsoconfigured as a ring space shortly before entry into the main mixingtube 27. This embodiment of the ring-shaped main air line 25 also leadsto homogeneous mixture formation within the main mixing tube 27, to thegreatest possible extent, thereby resulting in uniform combustion in themain combustion zone 28.

The main combustion space wall 29 used to avoid wall heat losses isused, in corresponding manner of effect, also according to the presentconfiguration of the main burner 2 in the ring space 30A. For thispurpose, the ring space 30A has an insulation 61 affixed to an outerwall of the ring space 30A in cylinder shape. The insulation 61, justlike the main combustion space wall 29, is made from a ceramic materialand reduces heat conduction of the hot exhaust gas contained in the ringspace 30A to the remainder of the housing of the main burner 2. Theexhaust gas mixes with the main fuel stream 24 before entry into themain mixing tube 27, by way of a ring nozzle 23A; this stream is passedto the pre-nozzle space 23 by way of the main nozzle 22.

During operation of the main burner 2, the ring-shaped configuration ofthe main nozzle space 23 allows circulation of the exhaust gas fed byway of the hot gas feed 30, about the main burner axis 51, therebypreventing dead areas within the main nozzle space 23 or also within thehot gas feed 30, to a great extent, and thereby making it possible tosuppress soot formation, at least soot formation resulting from mixing.

The feed line to the main mixing tube 27 is furthermore configured as amixing nozzle 27A, in which the flow composed of the main fuel stream 24and exhaust gas can be influenced once again before entry into the mainmixing tube. The conical configuration shown therefore leads toacceleration of the gas flow and has a positive effect on the mixingbehavior of the main fuel stream 24 with the exhaust gas, on the onehand, and on the other hand produces an ejector flow at a ring nozzle25A, which flow promotes further mixing with a main air stream exitingfrom the ring nozzle 25A.

The ring nozzle 25A is disposed ahead of the mixing tube 27 and radiallycircumferential, in order to feed the treated fuel stream into the mainair stream 26 uniformly. Two conically configured nozzle surfaces 25B ofthe ring nozzle 25A run into the mixing tube 27 at an acute angle, inthis connection, whereby here, too, dead areas, for example caused by atear in the flow, are avoided. The flat run-in angle of the ringsurfaces 25B furthermore surprisingly promotes homogenization of the airthat is blown in with the fuel stream, thereby avoiding emissions, onthe basis of the rapid and homogeneous combustion. For an optimalconfiguration of the flow velocity present in the ring nozzle 25A, thetwo nozzle surfaces 25B of the ring nozzle 25A are structured withdifferent cone angles.

The pre-burner 3 that precedes the hot gas feed 30, according to FIGS. 6and 7, produces a stoichiometric exhaust gas, as was already true in theprevious embodiments, and passes it tangentially, to the greatestpossible extent, into the ring space 30A. In this embodiment, thepre-burner axis 52 and the hot gas feed axis 53 coincide, because thehot gas feed 30 is structured as a cylindrical tube, coaxial to thepre-burner 3 and to the pre-combustion space 31.

The tangential arrangement of the pre-burner 3 or of the hot gas feed 30relative to the main nozzle space 23 brings about an induced flow—in aclockwise direction according to FIG. 7—that leads to homogeneous mixingof the main fuel stream 24 with the exhaust gas stream of thepre-burner, to the greatest possible extent. The same is also broughtabout, supplementally, by the ring nozzle 23A.

In this embodiment, the pre-combustion space 31 also has apre-combustion space wall 39 that is configured in the manner of aceramic, in order to avoid heat losses and to increase the degree ofeffectiveness of the axial piston motor 1. The pre-mixing tube 37 aswell as the pre-combustion zone 38 are disposed at a very much smallerangle relative to the pre-burner axis 52, in contrast to thecorresponding configuration in the main burner 2. This deviatingarrangement promotes circulation within the projection plane accordingto FIG. 6, in contrast to the main burner 2, so that the exhaust gasexiting from the pre-combustion zone 38 impacts partly onto theauxiliary hot gas feed 40, and in this way can be passed to thepre-nozzle space 33. In or directly upstream from the pre-nozzle space33, metering in of the known from the previous exemplary embodimentsmetering ins of the pre-fuel stream 34 and of the pre-air stream 36takes place by way of the pre-nozzle 32, in each instance, and by way ofthe pre-air line 35.

In order to master the temperatures that occur at the axial piston motor1, also within a heat exchanger 81, the heat exchanger 81 structuredaccording to FIG. 8 has a metallic membrane 86 that connects the housing82 or the exhaust gas chamber 83 mechanically and gastight with theworking gas chamber 84, at one end of the longitudinal expanse of theheat exchanger 81. In the embodiment shown, the working gas chamberentry 89 passes through the membrane 86, which entry leads the workinggas cold stream 79 into the heat exchanger 81. This working gas coldstream 79 takes on heat as it flows through the working gas chamber 84,from an exhaust gas intermediate stream 77 that is passed into theexhaust gas chamber 83. After the heat transfer has taken place, aworking gas hot stream 80 exits from the heat exchanger 81 again at aworking gas chamber exit 90, which stream is passed to the expanderstage 12 of the axial piston motor 1 or to the main burner 2 and thepre-burner 3 during the further course of the process. The working gascold stream 79, as already explained above, is taken from the expanderstage 12 of the axial piston motor 1. Furthermore, the exhaust gaschamber 83 has an exhaust gas chamber entry 87, into which the relaxedexhaust gas intermediate stream 77, or—in another exemplaryembodiment—the relaxed exhaust gas hot stream 76 enters directly, and anexhaust gas chamber exit 88, from which the relaxed and cooled exhaustgas cold stream 78 is passed off into the surroundings.

Before the exhaust gas intermediate stream 77 is fed to the heatexchanger 81, partial heat transfer in a fuel heat exchanger 70 alreadytakes place to a fuel cold stream 74. The fuel cold stream 74, just likethe working gas cold stream 79, takes up the heat made available by wayof an exhaust gas hot stream 76, and, after conversion to a fuel hotstream 75, recovers it and passes it back to the axial piston motor 1.Without the use of a fuel heat exchanger 70 or a heat exchanger 81, theamount of heat available in the exhaust gas would be given off to theenvironment, without being used, and therefore the arrangement shown isable to increase the thermodynamic degree of effectiveness of the axialpiston motor 1.

As has already been explained, the heat exchanger 81 has the membrane86, which is also provided for load equalization, which allows anon-uniform length expanse between the exhaust gas chamber 83, thehousing 82, and the working gas chamber 84, in the first place. Thechambers mentioned above and the housing 82, which corresponds, in thiscase, to the exhaust gas chamber 83, are rigidly connected with oneanother at the end of the heat exchanger 81 that lies opposite themembrane 86. In this regard, the connection takes place by way of thescrew connection 85, which seals off the two chambers, relative to oneanother and to the environment, in gastight manner.

In this connection, “rigidly” means the circumstance that lengthequalization, at the screw connection 85, of the components connected bymeans of this screw connection 85 is not possible or only possible to aninsignificant extent. Length equalization in the transverse direction toa heat exchanger axis of symmetry 91 is not required, because of thedesign selected, to the extent that is required when using the membrane86, in the longitudinal direction. The heat exchanger 81, in relation toits expanse in the transverse direction, has a significantly greaterexpanse in the longitudinal direction, thereby causing the non-uniformlength expanse of the exhaust gas chamber 83, the working gas chamber84, and, if applicable, the housing 82 to occur in the first place. Inparticular, by means of the elastic coupling that is implemented in thisexemplary embodiment, by means of the membrane 86, differences in thelength expanse of the housing 82 as well as the separation betweenexhaust gas chamber 83 and working gas chamber 84 can be equalized.Because the elastic coupling is provided at the cold end of the heatexchanger, the elasticity at this location can also be permanentlyguaranteed, if high temperatures, such as those that occur in an axialpiston motor 1, must be managed.

The main burner 2 structured according to FIGS. 9 and 10 has a furtherfuel heating system that is configured as a glow plug 71. The glow plug71 is situated within the fuel line 72, whereby the fuel line 72 flowsaround a heated end of the glow plug 71, forming a heating space 73, andthere heated to the desired fuel temperature. The main fuel stream fedto this heating space 73 by way of the fuel line 72 can be derived, insteady-state operation, from the fuel hot stream 75 of the fuel heatexchanger 70. For a cold start, however, in which sufficient heat in thefuel heat exchanger 70 cannot be supplied to the fuel, the main fuelstream 24 fed to the main nozzle 22 is heated by way of the glow plug 71that is shown. If necessary, temperature regulation can take place byway of the glow plug 71, while the fuel heat exchanger 70 is eliminatedor while the fuel heat exchanger 70 merely makes basic energy available.

It is immediately evident that the specified arrangement of the glowplug 71 according to the embodiment explained above can be freelyselected, and that a horizontal arrangement with reference to the mainburner axis 51 is not necessarily required. The arrangement of the glowplug 71 relative to the main burner axis 51 that is shown, at an angleof 90°, is, however, advantageous for the construction space taken up bythe axial piston motor 1, whereby this horizontal arrangement has aninsignificantly negative influence on the total length of the axialpiston motor.

In this connection, alternative heating means are also possible, inorder to heat the fuel that flows through the heating space 73 to thedesired temperature. Thus, in place of the glow plug 71, a heating wirecan also be passed into the heating space 73 or along the surfaces ofthe heating space 73.

Furthermore, the configuration of the heating space 73 as shown is alsonot necessarily linked with the configuration of the heating means.Thus, the heating space 73, which is approximated to the shape of theglow plug, can also assume a non-cylindrical shape. In particular, it ispossible to deviate from a cylindrical configuration of the heatingspace 73, if thereby the effective surface area of the heating space 73,in connection with a heat source recessed into the heating space wall,can be increased.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

-   1 axial piston motor-   2 main burner-   3 pre-burner-   4 auxiliary hot gas sensor-   5 hot gas sensor-   6 nozzle space sensor-   7 mixing tube sensor-   8 spark plug-   9 Laval nozzle-   10 power take-off shaft-   11 compressor stage-   12 expander stage-   13 compressor piston-   14 expander piston-   15 compressor control drive-   16 expander outlet valve-   17 expander inlet valve-   18 shot channel-   19 combustion space bottom-   21 main combustion space-   22 main nozzle-   23 main nozzle space-   23A ring nozzle-   24 main fuel stream-   25 main air line-   25A ring nozzle-   25B nozzle surface-   26 main air stream-   27 main mixing tube-   27A mixing nozzle-   28 main combustion zone-   29 main combustion space wall-   30 hot gas feed-   30A ring space-   31 pre-combustion space-   32 pre-nozzle-   33 pre-nozzle space-   34 pre-fuel stream-   35 pre-air line-   36 pre-air stream-   37 pre-mixing tube-   38 pre-combustion zone-   39 pre-combustion space wall-   40 auxiliary hot gas feed-   44 exhaust gas line-   51 main burner axis-   52 pre-burner axis-   53 feed axis-   61 insulation-   70 fuel heat exchanger-   71 glow plug-   72 fuel line-   73 heating space-   74 fuel cold stream-   75 fuel hot stream-   76 exhaust gas hot stream-   77 exhaust gas intermediate stream-   78 exhaust gas cold stream-   79 working gas cold stream-   80 working gas hot stream-   81 heat exchanger-   82 housing-   83 exhaust gas chamber-   84 working gas chamber-   85 screw connection-   86 membrane-   87 exhaust gas chamber entry-   88 exhaust gas chamber exit-   89 working gas chamber entry-   90 working gas chamber exit

What is claimed is:
 1. Axial piston motor having a heat exchanger thathas an exhaust gas stream and a working gas stream separated from theexhaust gas stream, and transfers heat from the exhaust gas stream tothe working gas stream, wherein the heat exchanger has a longitudinalaxis, wherein the heat exchanger has a working gas chamber that runsalong the longitudinal axis, and wherein the heat exchanger has anexhaust gas chamber that runs along the longitudinal axis, and wherein ahousing of the heat exchanger, the working gas chamber and/or theexhaust gas chamber are mechanically coupled with one another, rigidlyat a first end of their longitudinal expanse and elastically at a secondend of their longitudinal expanse.
 2. The axial piston motor accordingto claim 1, wherein the elastic coupling has a metallic membrane.
 3. Theaxial piston motor according to claim 2, wherein the elastic membraneseals the working gas chamber, the exhaust gas chamber and/or thehousing of the heat exchanger relative to one another and relative tothe environment.
 4. The axial piston motor according to claim 2, whereina working gas chamber entry passes through the membrane, which entryleads a working gas cold stream into the heat exchanger.
 5. The axialpiston motor according to claim 1, wherein the elastic coupling isprovided on a cold side of the heat exchanger.
 6. The axial piston motoraccording to claim 1, wherein the rigid connection takes place by way ofa screw connection.